Lalit Modi launches legal suit against Chris Cairns

Wellington: New Zealand cricket great Chris Cairns faced fresh legal issues Wednesday with former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi reported to be seeking more than £2.4 million ($3.8m) in damages and costs over a libel case. 

Modi has also applied to the High Court in London to have the libel verdict won by Cairns in 2012 set aside on the grounds of fraud, his lawyer Rajesh Vyakarnam said in an email to the New Zealand Herald.

The action comes as Cairns faces a perjury charge relating to the libel suit and London lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland, Cairns` lead adviser in the action against Modi, faces one count of perverting the course of justice.

Cairns won more than USD$140,000 when he sued Modi over a 2010 tweet accusing the all-rounder of corruption during his time in the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL). 

"Mr Modi has issued proceedings to set aside the 2012 libel judgment on the ground of fraud and is claiming the return of all damages and costs paid which are in excess of £2.4m," Vyakarnam said. 

"Mr Modi is still bound by the injunction awarded by Justice Bean and does not wish to prejudice the (Crown Prosecution Service`s) case against Mr Cairns or Mr Fitch-Holland. He will therefore not make any further comments at this time." 

Modi`s allegations related to the 2008 editions of the ICL competition when Cairns captained the Chandigarh Lions.

However, the court ruled that Modi "singularly failed" to provide any reliable evidence that Cairns was involved in fixing. 

Cairns has since been arrested by the London Metropolitan Police and appeared in court last month charged with perjury in relation to evidence given at the libel trial. 

He is to reappear in court in January for a plea hearing and has indicated he will fight the allegations. A trial is expected next October. 

Cairns retired from international cricket in 2004 after becoming one of only 12 players in Test history to complete the `double` of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs.